Petunia plant named ‘Duepotblace’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duepotblace’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large light pink-colored flowers with purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPOTBLACE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Duepotblace’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Petunia plants with numerousunique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-2126-003, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-5805-002, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2010has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duepotblace’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duepotblace’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large light pink-colored flowers with purple-colored        venation.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have darker pink-colored flowers. In addition, plants of thenew Petunia are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have darker pink-colored flowers. In addition, plants of thenew Petunia are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of thePetunia×hybrida ‘Sanguna Plum Vein’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petuniadiffered primarily from plants of ‘Sanguna Plum Vein’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact and had shorter        internodes than plants of ‘Sanguna Plum Vein’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter peduncles than plants        of ‘Sanguna Plum Vein’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had lighter-colored flowers than        plants of ‘Sanguna Plum Vein’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Duepotblace’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under commercialproduction practices. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plantswere pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks oldwhen the photograph and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepotblace’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-2126-003, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-5805-002, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and outwardly            spreading plant habit; freely branching habit with about            eight to ten lateral branches developing after pinching;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 9 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 21 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137C; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation,            close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.6 mm. Diameter: About 3.6 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Large salverform flowers;            single flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering            habit with usually about 25 to 30 open flowers and flower            buds per plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to six            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 3 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter:            About 7.5 mm. Color: Close to 145A and 87A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from            throat): About 3.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3.3 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,            glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture:            Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 69D; venation, close            to 79B; color becoming closer to 76D with development. Petal            lobe, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to            76D; venation, close to 79D. Flower throat: Close to 145A;            venation, close to 144C. Flower tube: Close to 144C;            venation, close to 144C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a            star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 2 cm. Sepal width:            About 3.25 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded.            Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color, immature and mature, upper surface:            Close to 137D. Color, immature and mature, lower surface:            Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close            to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 1.1 cm. Filament color: Close to            145D. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 157B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm.            Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma            color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 145B.            Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia.

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duepotblace’ as illustratedand described.